There has been a growing interest from Parish Leaders to align the content on FORMED with the pastoral process by which a person undergoes a conversion to Christ. Many have been inspired by Sherry Weddell’s book, Forming Intentional Disciples, where she outlines the thresholds of conversion as:

1) trust
2) curiosity
3) openness
4) seeking
5) discipleship

As Weddell notes, conversion is a deeply personal and individualized experience, guided primarily by the Holy Spirit, and no curriculum will always “move people” through these thresholds. It is for this reason that the loving witness of an authentic disciple of Jesus is so essential.

In his apostolic exhortation Evangelii nuntiandi [Evangelization in the Modern World], Bl. Pope Paul VI wrote: “Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses” (41). Therefore, we should be careful not to assume that content, and the sequence in which it is presented, is all that is needed to make someone an intentional disciple. While the presentation of truth carries a power in and of itself, it is sharing the truth in the context of an interpersonal relationship that helps integrate the truth into daily living.

With this in mind, the content on FORMED is a great tool for disciples to use as they accompany people in the Christian life.  We offer this outline in response to the request from some of our users, and as an attempt to align the Catholic content on FORMED to the thresholds of conversion. This list is not exhaustive, but highlights some key content that might assist people in these thresholds.

Stages of Formation with Thresholds of Conversion

1. Pre-evangelization: meet them where they are [trust; curiosity] 
2. Kerygma: initial proclamation of the Gospel [openness; seeking] 
3. Discipleship: living the faith [intentional discipleship] 
4. Apostleship: making disciples [intentional discipleship]

FORMED Content and
the Stages of Conversion

FORMED Programs That Might Pertain to All Stages or Thresholds

• Forgiven
• Reborn
• Beloved
• The Wild Goose 
• Who Am I To Judge?
• Symbolon
• YDisciple
• Divine Mercy

FORMED Programs for Pre-Evangelization and Trust/Curiosity

• From Nothing to Cosmos: God and Science 
• Happiness 
• Watch: “Movies” section
• Watch: “Documentaries” section 
• Listen: “Conversion Stories” and “Discover the Catholic Faith” sections

FORMED Programs for Kerygma and Openness/Seeking 

• The Wild Goose
• YDisciple: Follow Me
• Symbolon
• Forgiven

FORMED Programs for Discipleship and Intentional Discipleship  

• Lectio: Prayer
• Lectio: Eucharist
• YDisciple: Called
• Hearts Afire Parish Based Programs
• Listen: “Discerning Hearts” section
• Listen: “Discover the Catholic Faith” section
• Listen: “Explain the Catholic Faith” section
• Listen: “Sacraments” section
• Listen: “Catholic Life” section
• Listen: “Prayer” section
• Listen: “Young Adult” section
• Read: “Nonfiction” section
• Movies: “Apologetics” section

FORMED Programs for Apostleship and Intentional Discipleship 

• Lectio: Evangelization and the Acts of the Apostles
• Watch: “Apologetics” section
• Listen: “Explain the Catholic Faith” section
• Hearts Afire Parish Based Programs

Search FORMED by Stages of Conversion 

To better assist our Parish Leaders in walking with their parishioners, we have added searchable tags to the content above to help you find content that might correspond to each of these Thresholds or Stages of Conversion.

You can search by the following terms:

For pre-evangelization material, search using the words “pre-evangelization,” “trust,” or “curiosity.” 

For kerygmatic, initial proclamation of the gospel material, search using the words “kerygma,” “openness” or “seeking.” 

For ongoing formation material, search “discipleship” or “intentional discipleship.” 

For missionary discipleship material, search “apostleship.”